After a while, the old man put down the bronze sculpture and looked at Ye Fan again, his face had already switched to an expression of shock. Just as Ye Fan had said, there were some residues inside the bronze sculpture, quartz sand, which is one of the characteristics of modern casting.
The amount of residue was extremely scarce, almost negligible, and its location was very concealed. If it weren't for Ye Fan's reminder, the old man would never have discovered it.
"This is indeed an old object, but it was not well preserved, leading to serious damage. Thus, it underwent modern restoration and antique processing, enough to be confusingly authentic," Ye Fan continued.
The old man nodded slightly, expressing his appreciation, "Young man, you've got quite an eye, being able to detect such a small flaw. It seems you are an expert indeed."
Ye Fan waved his hand, smiled, and said, "How am I considered an expert? I was just talking nonsense." Having once been involved in the design and manufacture of artworks, Ye Fan had some exposure to antiques, as some design inspirations for artworks originated from antiques, and even the use of some materials was in reference to some old antiques.
Without the aid of the Clairvoyant Eye, Ye Fan was just an outsider. As you know, cultural relics and antiques are real treasures, with profound cultural connotations and exquisite craftsmanship. Some of the masterpieces have even reached the pinnacle of human craftsmanship, and even in the technologically advanced modern era, it's impossible to replicate exactly the same masterpieces.
In the old man's eyes, being able to detect such a small flaw in such a short time, Ye Fan truly deserved the title of an expert. Ye Fan's denial was simply an expression of modesty.
"You are too modest, young brother," praised the old man, nodding his approval. In his view, it was rare to see someone as young and talented as Ye Fan.
"How much do you think is appropriate for this bronze sculpture if I were to take it home?" asked the old man, his face showing a look of seeking advice.
Ye Fan felt somewhat embarrassed. It was his first time being treated as a master and, to tell the truth, the feeling was a bit gratifying.
"The reason relics are called antiques is because they're from a long time ago and possess exquisite craftsmanship. Now that this bronze sculpture has been so transformed, it can no longer be called an antique. At most, it's a decent modern craft piece. As for the price? I think 3,000 is quite fair."
At the mention of 3,000, the vendor nearly cried. Originally, he could have sold this piece for 100,000, but now it had plummeted to 3,000. He was facing a huge loss this time.
Now, the vendor felt like he had eaten bitter gall without being able to voice his distress. Although the majority of items in Antique City were fakes, being exposed for trying to trick people with a counterfeit could significantly damage one's reputation.
With a glum face, the vendor said, "Since the young brother has spoken, then let it be 3,000."
The old man couldn't be bothered to haggle with the vendor. Paying 3,000 yuan for a decent craft piece was still quite worthwhile, so he paid without hesitation, carefully placed the bronze sculpture in a wooden box, and held it in his arms. When the old man planned to have a good chat with Ye Fan, he looked up to find that Ye Fan had already disappeared.
Ye Fan mixed into the crowd and looked around, intending to find a good deal. However, Ye Fan did not rashly use his clairvoyance ability. Based on recent tests, the clairvoyance ability had its limits, and overuse could trigger severe headaches and temporary vision loss.
Ever since identifying this issue, Ye Fan had started planning how to train his body. In his view, only a strong body can support the powerful clairvoyance ability.
Unknowingly, Ye Fan had made his way to the middle of Antique City, where the main business was bronze ware. Generally, the age of bronze ware is quite ancient, especially those from before the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, as the level of bronze craftsmanship was extremely high. Moreover, they were used only by nobility and royalty, so the prices were quite high.
Due to their high value, the proliferation of counterfeits was also frighteningly high.
This 100-plus-meter-long pedestrian street was almost entirely dedicated to the sale of bronze ware, with a wide variety of styles. Ye Fan knew that the number of authentic items here was extremely scarce, and even if there were any, they were few and far between. After all, many collectors came here daily to look for underpriced items, with the good stuff generally being snatched up quickly.
Suddenly, there was a commotion ahead, and Ye Fan couldn't help but quicken his pace. Perhaps someone had found a good item.
In the crowd, a woman in her twenties, who was very pretty, was confronting a man in his forties. She did not look pleased.
Ellor glared with wide eyes, looking menacingly at the old man in front of her, and said indignantly, "I saw this item first and had already agreed on a price. Now you want to snatch it forcefully. Don't you think that's a bit too much?"
Ellor had an extraordinary temperament and sweet looks, even when arguing her tone was very gentle, giving off the impression of a well-bred young lady. Ye Fan couldn't help but take a few more glances, and suddenly realized that this beautiful girl looked familiar. After pondering for a few seconds, he remembered that they had met once before, as Ellor had previously purchased art from the company where Ye Fan worked.
The old man was casually dressed, carrying a black briefcase, and Ye Fan also found him somewhat familiar. Upon moving closer, he recognized the man as Wang Qi, the business manager of Huo Zilong's company.
When Ye Fan played the hero to save the damsel and offended the prodigal Huo Zilong, this man was also present, which is why Ye Fan had a strong impression of him.
Facing Ellor's argument, Wang Qi couldn't have cared less as he smirked dismissively, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and sneered, "This brother hasn't paid yet, so it's not yours. Whoever offers the highest price gets it, and no matter what you bid, I will top it by ten percent."
"I haven't paid yet, but we should respect the principle of first come, first served," Ellor retorted in frustration, aware that the other party was being unreasonable. But she couldn't think of a good solution, especially since her venture was newly established and her funds were tight, making it impossible for her to outbid the financially powerful Wang Qi, whose backer was Huo Zilong, a well-known hedonist from Ninghai City.
Wang Qi scoffed with conceit, "Don't think that just because my young master took a fancy to you, you can show off in front of me. I've set my sights on this item today, so it's mine." After speaking, he spat a cloud of smoke towards the vendor and commanded, "What the hell are you staring at? Wrap it up for me now."
The vendor, an old hand in Jianghu who often set up his stall here, had heard of Wang Qi and knew he couldn't afford to provoke him. He quickly started to pack the item with foam.
Ye Fan leaned in for a closer look and saw a small tripod cup on the stall. This item was called a Jue, an ancient drinking vessel used also for ritual offerings. The Jue in question looked reasonably well-shaped, except for its imperfect preservation, with ninety percent of the surface covered in thick patina. Although Ye Fan was not deeply versed in antiques, he could guess that a bronze ware in such a state wouldn't fetch a high price.
But why were Ellor and Wang Qi red-faced with anger over a Jue that wasn't highly valued?
Ye Fan turned his head to look at Wang Qi and then at Ellor, and realizing their expressions were those of people acting out of spite, he understood. What mattered to them wasn't the value of the Jue, but winning the argument.
Subsequently, Ye Fan focused his attention on the Jue and employed his Clairvoyance ability. What he saw next was a shocking revelation…
Seeing the vendor start to package the bronze ware, Ellor anxiously said, "Boss, haven't we already agreed on this in advance? I've claimed this Jue."
Without looking up, the vendor replied, "Whoever offers the higher price gets the sale. Isn't that how business works?"
"Business is about making money, but you also need to have integrity," Ellor said forcefully yet with an undertone of helplessness.
Hearing Ellor's words, the vendor didn't stop packaging the item, but his speed had slowed; he was waiting for Ellor to make a higher bid.
With a provocative gaze, Wang Qi taunted Ellor, "The boss already said it, whoever offers more gets the item."
Ellor bit her lip tightly and glared coldly at Wang Qi. After a moment's thought, she suddenly declared, "I'll pay fifteen thousand."
This price immediately caused an uproar among the onlookers. Though not experts, they had some discernment, and they knew that even if the Jue covered in heavy patina was genuine, it wouldn't be worth more than ten thousand yuan, let alone having its authenticity unverified.
Wang Qi burst into laughter. He wasn't interested in the value of the Jue itself; a Jue covered in patina had lost most of its value to time. The reason for his dispute over the Jue was merely to embarrass Ellor. Now that Ellor had committed to a price far exceeding the value of the Jue, his objective had been achieved.
Thus, Wang Qi immediately retorted, "President Ellor truly is wealthy and bold, to offer such a high price for a worn-out Jue. I don't want it anymore. Keep it for yourself to play with."
Visibly played, Ellor's eyes turned red with anger, but with Huo Zilong supporting the wealthy and imposing Wang Qi, she wasn't someone Ellor could afford to provoke. So, all she could do was swallow her anger, pay the money, and take the packaged Jue from the vendor's hands.
Ye Fan approached and said, "President Ellor, some things cannot be judged merely by their appearance and require closer examination, like this Jue in your hands that seems to be in poor condition."
Ellor, having impulsively spent a lot of money on the Jue, was feeling dejected when she suddenly heard these words. A glimmer of hope flashed across her eyes. Could it be that the Jue she bought was actually quite valuable? But as soon as she turned around and saw Ye Fan, that faint hope shattered.
Ellor, with an excellent memory, recognized Ye Fan at a glance—a young man involved in design and manufacturing at an art company.
In Ellor's view, not only was Ye Fan young, but he also lacked experience with antiques, so his earlier words had no reference value, possibly just meant to console her.
Ellor mustered a strained smile and responded, "Thank you for your comforting words."
Seeing that Ellor didn't believe him, Ye Fan stated, "If you trust me, please hand over the Jue in your hands to me. If I damage it, I will compensate you fifteen thousand." After saying that, Ye Fan stretched out his right hand to Ellor, asking for the Jue.
Ellor was visibly taken aback. She was completely bewildered by Ye Fan's unexpected move and couldn't guess what he was up to.
Wang Qi, who was about to leave, stopped and looked at Ye Fan with surprise. He remembered that Ye Fan had been severely injured and was still supposed to be lying in the hospital. How was he standing here in perfect shape? Could it be that Ye Fan was faking his injury, trying to swindle Zhang Dahhu and Huo Zilong?